Scout Motors picks South Carolina for new $2B EV plant

Scout Motors Inc., is building its first factory in Blythewood, South Carolina, which is close to the city of Columbia. At the Richland County site, the company will build all-electric, next-generation trucks and rugged SUVs harkening back to the iconic Scout vehicles produced from 1960 to 1980. The company’s $2 billion investment has the potential to create 4,000 or more permanent jobs. At full capacity, more than 200,000 Scout vehicles may be produced annually at the facility.

We’re honored to partner with South Carolina to usher in this new era for Scout,” said President and CEO of Scout Motors Scott Keogh. “Scout has been an American icon since introducing an SUV in 1960. It’s the vehicle that took your family on a camping trip, that gave access to the great outdoors, and that showed up on the job site every morning. Today, we’re reimagining Scout’s original ingenuity and electrifying its future. We’re bringing the Scout spirit to South Carolina and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”

Scout was founded in Tysons, Virginia, to make all-electric trucks and SUVs in the same style as the original Scout car, which became an American icon. The company is bringing back a legendary brand and bringing manufacturing back to the United States.

The Blythewood Industrial Site is near Interstate 77. It covers about 1,600 acres, of which 1,100 acres are taken up by the plant itself. The goal is to start making cars by the end of 2026.